The Parent Pulse

Inspiring news for and about Central Ohio parents! Got an inspiring tip for our next issue? Send it to jmantey@gmail.comwith Parent Pulse in the subject line.

A Westerville mom of two may have just solved the mommy-baby-jewelry conundrum. "Willingly and lovingly, you make so many sacrifices when you become a parent," said Candis Jones.

Sometimes, one of those sacrifices is wearing jewelry. But it was sacrifice of the monetary variety that inspired Jones to start The Jones Market, a baby-friendly line of accessories for women.

After leaving her job at a local photo studio in 2012 to raise her son, Jones launched her business with "a week's worth of grocery money and a tentative but hopeful heart because I needed to help my hardworking husband provide for our family. I told myself I would give it a year and if I wasn't profitable I would get a job on nights and weekends." Her beaded jewelry designs, which include necklaces and bracelets, are all nontoxic, lightweight and tuggable.

The gold-colored accessories she launched this summer "continue to be a huge hit. And just about a month ago, that huge credit card bill that got us through that first year of my son's life - the one with high interest that seemed like a mountain I could never climb - I paid that sucker off."

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Got a bitty baby diva? Well, get that little cutie a glitter Snap Bib with a high-gloss finish! The long-lasting bibs - made from flexible, mildew-resistant vinyl and a heavy-duty snap closure - are $15 each and designed by a Columbus mom, Katie Lewis, who started making the designs when she began feeding her daughter solid foods with very messy, stick results. Check out for more.

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It was teenagers, college visits and an impending empty nest that inspired Columbus resident Tom Augustine's new business, Stwrap. The father of two teens and founder of marketing agency Minds On saw untapped promotional space on the students' book bags. Stwraps are fun, rubbery 1-inch-wide bands ($4.99 each) that wrap around the handles of bags and purses and feature the logos of college and professional sports teams.

His advice to aspiring parent entrepreneurs: "If you have an idea, work on it at night or on the weekends to see if it has legs before you spend a ton of money or time on it. There are so many resources at your disposal to mediate risk: Internet for research, 3-D printers to create working prototypes. And if you need funds, instead of mortgaging your home, go to sites like Kickstarter where you see if people would buy your product. Get the funds to make it reality without losing everything you have."